Teeler

Just sayin'...

I've done chains on the single pieces that I need many of, but after doing 8 of my 29 rows of my Blooming Nine Patch, I finally figured out how to NOT get confused and sew them up in the wrong order. I have all the pieces in neat little "row piles," but was sewing a piece, pressing, then sewing, then pressing...just so I wouldn't lose my place. Needless to say, it was taking forever to get through even the short rows. Then I finally got smart and did 2 at a time, then the next two, then the next two...pressed (keeping them in order- LOL)...then added the 2s to each other...etc.

I know you experts are rolling your eyes, but this is HUGE for a newbie! It's going SO much faster "assembly-line" style!

Ok, off my box now. I feel like I'm at a Q-Anonymous meeting and just went to the podium to announce my major breakthrough for the week!

Ranchwife

It definitely saves a lot of time and thread! I try to chain piece as much as I possibly can because I hate starting and stopping and cutting thread.

Barb_MO

That is what I do. It really save time and if you don't clip the thread when pressing you will always have them in order as you sew the 2's together. I usually cut the top one from the stip, put it near the presser foot and match up with the next first on on the strip and take a few stitches and then cut that one from the strip. You cut that one so the rest of the ones won't be pulling the work off you 1/4 inch seam guide. I lay my chain strip on my lap as I do this and then I know which one to clip to start piecing another set.

yel

when i do a trip around the world or even just a scrappy blocks ....i chain piece from top down row 1 to 2 then with out snipping the thread add row 3 and so on ...then i look it all over and make sure it is all in the right place ....press row 1 one way 2 the other etc ....i know this is the stage of the quilt i like to call swiss cheese .....then just fold and sew ......never clipping the chains ...saves time ...and if i mess something up .only have to take out 2 seams and if scrappy -never get two of the same color next to each other

Jan in VA

There you go!! The technique has been around since the late 1970s, early 1980s from forerunners of the speed piecing movement like Barbara Johannah and Mary Ellen Hopkins. You're in good company.

Jan in VA

Gladys

I agree with what a great feeling it is to discover this. Chain stitching is wonderful.

redmadder

I remember my mother chain piecing, that was around 1959. I'm certain she learned it from someone even older than her.

bigsister63

I always chain if I can! Saves time and thread. I will chain several pieces together and then cut them off from the "chain" leaving a piece under the needle and then keep on adding blocks to the already sewn blocks and keepm chaining and cutting until blocks are done or I can not longer chain. (understand?)

Normabeth

it does save you a lot of time and you don't have all those strings ends to cut off

zennia

Those strings drive me crazy.